1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a filter feeder for feeding filters for casting use, and more particularly, to a filter feeder for automatically feeding filters accommodated in a plurality of cartridges one by one to a certain external location at which each of the filters is set in a casting mold.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When a molten metal is introduced into a casting mold, a porous ceramic filter for casting use is often mounted on a gate of the mold to remove slag or the like produced on the surface of the molten metal.
Since this filter is easily damaged, it is difficult to bring into practical use an automatic filter feeder for automatically feeding filters one by one to a plurality of molds.
Conventionally, a filter is generally manually fed to and mounted on a mold at a filter mounting station in a casting line. Such work causes a relatively high cost of manufacture. To avoid this, it is possible to employ an assembling robot. However, since the work is relatively simple, the provision of an assembling robot exclusively for such use is not economical.
It is considered to employ an automatic filter feeder provided with a plurality of removable cylindrical cartridges each accommodating a number of filters for casting use placed one upon another. The automatic filter feeder is provided at a filter mounting station in a casting line and automatically feeds filters one by one from the cartridges at a location appropriate for feeding the filters.
However, each of the filters taken out from the lower end of each cartridge must be moved a predetermined distance and positioned in a predetermined posture. Thereafter, the filter must be held by a suitable means and transferred to the filter mounting station in the casting line, at which the filter is mounted on the mold. Accordingly, the automatic filter feeder becomes complicated in construction and the cost of equipment becomes high.